comfort to those whom God sends, that they go for God, and may therefore speak in his name,
assured that he will bear them out.
Is. 6:9-13 God sends Isaiah to foretell the ruin of his people. Many hear the sound of God's
word, but do not feel the power of it. God sometimes, in righteous judgment, gives men up to
blindness of mind, because they will not receive the truth in the love of it. But no humble inquirer
after Christ, need to fear this awful doom, which is a spiritual judgment on those who will still hold
fast their sins. Let every one pray for the enlightening of the Holy Spirit, that he may perceive how
precious are the Divine mercies, by which alone we are secured against this dreadful danger. Yet
the Lord would preserve a remnant, like the tenth, holy to him. And blessed be God, he still preserves
his church; however professors or visible churches may be lopped off as unfruitful, the holy seed
will shoot forth, from whom all the numerous branches of righteousness shall arise.
Chapter 7
Ahaz threatened by Israel and Syria; and is assured their attack would be in vain. (Is. 7:1-9)
God gives a sure sign by the promise of the long-expected Messiah. (Is. 7:10-16) The folly and sin
of seeking relief from Assyria are reproved. (Is. 7:17-25)
Is. 7:1-9 Ungodly men are often punished by others as bad as themselves. Being in great distress
and confusion, the Jews gave up all for lost. They had made God their enemy, and knew not how
to make him their friend. The prophet must teach them to despise their enemies, in faith and
dependence on God. Ahaz, in fear, called them two powerful princes. No, says the prophet, they
are but tails of smoking firebrands, burnt out already. The two kingdoms of Syria and Israel were
nearly expiring. While God has work for the firebrands of the earth, they consume all before them;
but when their work is fulfilled, they will be extinguished in smoke. That which Ahaz thought most
formidable, is made the ground of their defeat; because they have taken evil counsel against thee;
which is an offence to God. God scorns the scorners, and gives his word that the attempt should
not succeed. Man purposes, but God disposes. It was folly for those to be trying to ruin their
neighbours, who were themselves near to ruin. Isaiah must urge the Jews to rely on the assurances
given them. Faith is absolutely necessary to quiet and compose the mind in trials.
Is. 7:10-16 Secret disaffection to God is often disguised with the colour of respect to him; and
those who are resolved that they will not trust God, yet pretend they will not tempt him. The prophet
reproved Ahaz and his court, for the little value they had for Divine revelation. Nothing is more
grievous to God than distrust, but the unbelief of man shall not make the promise of God of no
effect; the Lord himself shall give a sign. How great soever your distress and danger, of you the
Messiah is to be born, and you cannot be destroyed while that blessing is in you. It shall be brought
to pass in a glorious manner; and the strongest consolations in time of trouble are derived from
Christ, our relation to him, our interest in him, our expectations of him and from him. He would
grow up like other children, by the use of the diet of those countries; but he would, unlike other